Dacorum

Dacorum's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Dacorum increased by 5.1%, from almost 138,000 to 145,000.

The addition of about 7,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Dacorum was home to, on average, 4.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Dacorum

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Dacorum increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This growing rural area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 2,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 10% of people in Dacorum are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Dacorum saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households in Dacorum had only one person, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.9% to 11%.

Across the region, only East Hertfordshire saw a greater rise in the proportion of one-person households (from 26% to 28%).

During this period, Dacorum went from having the 30th-highest to the 18th-highest percentage of one-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.4% to 4.0% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Dacorum decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Dacorum, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Dacorum

The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.2% to 7.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Dacorum that rented privately increased from 5.6% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in five (22%) households lived in social housing, compared with 23% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum households that owned their home decreased from 70% to 65%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Dacorum increased by 6.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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